PIERO MANZONI

Piero Manzoni (1933 - 1963) was an Italian artist best known for his ironic approach to avant-garde art. Manzoni is most famous for a series of artworks that call into question the nature of the art object, directly prefiguring Conceptual Art. His work is widely seen as a critique of mass production and consumerism. In 1961, he produced 90 cans labelled "Artist’s Shit". In 2008, Can #83 was sold for almost £ 100,000. What is actually in the signed and sealed cans has been a matter of debate. This film studies the character of Piero Manzoni, documents his artistic journey and considers the secrets of his amazing career through the words of contemporary personalities. The film was made in collaboration with the Fondazione Manzoni and features interviews with friends, relatives and artists who knew him and spent time with him. The film includes numerous documents, photos and film footage, as well as three short newsreels, which were thought to be lost, showing the artist during some of his most creative phases.